Part 4: The Wombat, The Hermit Crab, The Dragonfly, The Elk

Part 4 of these omnibus editions of A Carnival of Animals explores four remarkable species with stories of survival and adaptation. Katherine Rundell introduces the wombat, once adored by Victorian poets and now one of the rarest land mammals. She examines the resourceful hermit crab, from shell-swapping queues to the power of the coconut crab. The dragonfly’s prehistoric past and changing patterns under climate pressure come next, followed by the elk - North America’s largest deer - whose recovery shows how conservation can succeed.

Written and presented by Katherine Rundell
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Natalie Donovan and Sophie Anton.